Specimen storage apparatus

ABSTRACT

A storage and organizing apparatus for microscopy specimens is disclosed that includes a base with a top surface upon which are a plurality of slidable attachment tongues. A plurality of storage trays, each having a slidable attachment groove on a bottom surface thereof, is adapted to slidably engage one of the slidable attachment tongues of the base. Each tray further includes a plurality of specimen receiving means so that a plurality of specimens may be retained thereby. The specimen receiving means are adapted for receiving either a block specimen of tissue embedded in a resin block, a semi-thin section specimen of tissue mounted to a glass slide, a grid-mounted thin section, or any combination of these one, two, or three types of specimens. A cover may be included to slidably engage and capture each tray, whereby specimens held within the tray are prevented from falling out of the tray if the tray is inverted or jarred. The base further includes a card storage slot formed partially within the base and having an open end proximate to a top rear edge of the base so that a data card with information corresponding to the specimens may be stored therewith.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to storage trays, and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for storing and organizing a variety of related electron microscopy specimens.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Electron microscopy is able to magnify small organisms and other materials tens of thousands of times in size. But specimens to be magnified by an electron microscope must be carefully prepared in order to accommodate such use, and to be easily and reliably stored. Such specimens, once prepared, may be viewed dozens or even hundreds of times, and as such the preparation of such specimens is labor intensive and expensive. It is therefore important to carefully store such specimens in such a way as to be easily and reliably identifiable and usable.

Specimen trays and racks for such specimens are well known in the prior art. Within the general field of electron microscopy, there are three primary types of specimens that are used: block, semi-thin section, and thin-section specimens. Block specimens are typically soft material that is embedded into a hard resin, making it easier to slice into semi-thin or thin sections. Semi-thin sections are typically mounted on glass slides for use with optical microscopes, and thin sections are typically grid-mounted for direct observation in an electron microscope.

Separate storage trays and racks exist for all of these types of specimens in the prior art. However, it is often the case that related specimens are made into various types of different specimens that are mounted in different ways, and as a result, must be stored in separate trays or racks. Separating such specimens necessitates additional paperwork to document each of the separate specimens. Further, it is often inconvenient when working with one type of specimen and realizing that the related block specimen is needed perhaps to make an additional specimen for whatever reason.

Further, many specimen trays of the prior art have no means by which to store information on a data card or other record and keep such record conveniently close to the specimens. As such, the chance is increased for the information about such specimens to become lost or separated from the specimens themselves, thereby causing confusion and delay. Still further, many specimen storage devices of the prior art are open-ended, allowing specimens to fall out of such devices if the tray is tipped or inverted.

There does not exist a storage apparatus that can store each of the three primary types of specimens concurrently. This would be particularly advantageous in the case where, for example, both thin-section and semi-thin section specimens were made from the same block specimen or the various specimens were in some way related. Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive specimen storage apparatus that is better suited for concurrent storage of multiple types of specimens. Such a needed device would be further provide for data card or other record storage, and would provide for covering of the specimens during carrying or other transport so as to prevent spilling should the device be jarred. Such a device would be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to clean, and easy to handle. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a storage and organizing apparatus for microscopy specimens that includes a base with a top surface upon which are a plurality of slidable attachment tongues are included or attached. A plurality of storage trays, each having a slidable attachment groove on a bottom surface thereof, is adapted to slidably engage one of the slidable attachment tongues of the base. As such each tray may be retained on the base and only removed therefrom by sliding tray away from the base. Each tongue is preferably trapezoidal in shape, and corresponds to a similar trapezoidal shape of each slidable attachment groove, so that same are able to slidably engage each other to limit their respective travel along only one dimension.

Each tray further includes a plurality of specimen receiving means so that a plurality of specimens may be retained thereby. The specimen receiving means are preferably adapted for receiving either a block specimen of tissue embedded in a resin block, a semi-thin section specimen of tissue mounted to a glass slide, a grid-mounted thin section, or any combination of these one, two, or three types of specimens.

A cover may be included to slidably engage and capture a corresponding tray, whereby specimens held within the tray are prevented from falling out of the tray if the tray is inverted or jarred. The cover is preferably made from a transparent or translucent plastic material so that the contents of the tray may be observed even with the cover over the tray.

The base preferably further includes a card storage slot formed partially within the base and having an open end proximate to a top rear edge of the base. As such, a data card with information corresponding to the specimens retained within the present invention may be included therewith. Preferably each storage tray is of a sufficient length so that, when each tray is fully engaged with the base in a stored position, each tray fully covers the elongated slot and prevents the data card from falling out of the base. Alternatively, the trays may be made short enough so that when fully engaged with the tray they do not cover the extended slot, thereby allowing the data card to be removed or inserted into the card-retaining slot without necessitating the removal or partial removal of the trays from the base.

The present invention succeeds in providing a means for easily storing a variety of related specimens together, even though the specimens may have been mounted using one of three different mounting methods. The present device allows for a data card associated with the specimens to be easily transported and stored with the specimens, and further provides means for preventing specimens from falling out of the apparatus even if the apparatus is inverted or suddenly jarred. The present apparatus is easy to clean, use, and manufacture. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, illustrating a storage tray partially engaged with a holding base of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the invention, of FIG. 1, illustrating a card storage means formed within the base thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage tray, illustration one configuration of specimen receiving means;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, illustration a tray cover slidably engaged with one of the plurality of trays of the inventions;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention, illustrating the plurality of trays completely engaged with the base;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a grid-mounted thin-section specimen of the invention, illustrating an elongated slot thereof;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the grid-mounted thin-section specimen, illustrating a slot formed along one edge thereof;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the grid-mounted thin-section specimen, illustrating a forcep engaged in the tube of the specimen for facilitating the transport thereof;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of various configurations of storage trays of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of various configurations of storage trays of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of the specimen receiving means illustrating the specimen receiving means partially engaged with a semi-thin section specimen mounted to a glass slide; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the specimen receiving means, and illustrating a clip thereof during insertion into grooves thereof for retaining the specimen within the receiving means.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of the retaining means having a clip groove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a specimen storage apparatus that includes a generally cuboidal base 10, comprised of a suitable plastic material that is readily cleaned and, in one embodiment, autoclavable. The base 10 includes a top surface 15 upon which are a plurality of slidable attachment tongues 20, such as elongated trapezoids fixed at their smaller parallel sides to the top surface 15 of the base 10 (FIG. 1). Such tongues 20 may be formed integral with the base 10, or, alternatively, attached thereto with a permanent adhesive or sonic welding methods, or the like. The tongue and groove system forms a slide means allowing sliding and retaining of trays.

The apparatus further includes a plurality of generally cuboidal storage trays 30 (FIG. 1), each having a slidable attachment groove 25 on a bottom surface 35 thereof. Each slidable attachment groove 25 is adapted to slidably engage one of the slidable attachment tongues 20 of the base 10, such that each tray 30 may be retained on the base 10 and only removed therefrom by sliding tray 30 away from the base 10 along the slidable attachment tongue 20. Further, the tolerance of fit between each slidable attachment tongue 20 and each slidable attachment groove 25 is such that friction retains each tray 30 on the base 10 that can only be overcome by a force greater than 1 g. Consequently, tipping the tray over on any side or upside-down will not result in the disengagement of any of the trays 30 from the base 15. Optionally, divits (not shown) may be included in the slidable attachment grooves 25 and corresponding nipples may be included in the slidable attachment tongues 20 such that a significant initial manual force must be used to slide a selected tray 30 away from the base 10. In such an embodiment, the tolerance between the fit of the tounges 20 and the grooves 30 may be loosened-up considerably so that it is easier to slide each tray 30 away from the base 10 once the divit has been disengaged from the corresponding nipple manually.

Each tongue 20 is preferably trapezoidal in shape, and corresponds to a similar trapezoidal shape of each slidable attachment groove 25, so that same are able to slidably engage each other to limit their respective travel along only one dimension. Naturally, however, any suitable shape for the tongue 20 and groove 25 may be used, as long as they cooperate together to limit movement of each tray 30 with respect to the base 10 in only one dimension.

Each tray 30 further includes a plurality of specimen receiving means 40 so that a plurality of grid specimens 50 may be retained thereby (FIGS. 3 and 9). Specimen receiving means 40 are preferably adapted for receiving either a block specimen 42 of tissue embedded in a resin block, a semi-thin section specimen 44 of tissue mounted to a glass slide 43, a grid-mounted thin section 46, or any combination of these one, two, or three types of specimens (FIG. 9). FIG. 9 shows a pair of trays, a first one has 3 block holders and in the middle block holder, a pair of semi thin section holders denoted by the slots shown for holding the semi thin sections. Also, the first drawing shows a pair of rows of thin section holders. The second drawing shows 6 block holders with the middle two block holders having a pair of semi thin section holders allowing for 4 semi thin section holders. The second drawing also shows thin section holders in an array with a dozen at each end.

To retain the block specimen 42 specimen, the specimen receiving means 40 is a depression within the base 15 of a shape and size suited to receiving the block specimen 42. To retain the semi-thin section specimen 44, the specimen receiving means 40 is a depression within the base 15 that is at least large enough to retain the glass slide 43 such that no part of slide 43 extends beyond the depression in the base 15, yet provides an area where a tool such as a forcep or a person's fingers (not shown) could grasp and remove the slide 43 on either side thereof. To retain the grid-mounted thin section 46, the specimen receiving means 40 is a generally cubical shape volume devoid of material in the base 15 shaped in such a way as to allow the grid-mounted thin section 46 to rest fully within the volume devoid of material in the base 15 without any portion thereof extending up above the plane of the surface 15 (FIGS. 9 and 12).

A slot shaped corner forcep hole 47, FIG. 7, FIG. 8 helps retrieval without poking the specimen. The slot shaped corner forcep hole can be a slot, round or oval shaped.

With respect to the grid-mounted thin section 46, a pointed instrument such as a forcep FIG. 8 can be used for removing the grid 50 may be inserted to one corner of the receiving means 40 thereof, the forcep being generally orthogonal to a top surface 48 thereof. Such a forcep facilitates the removal of the grid-mounted thin section 46 from the specimen receiving means 40 (FIG. 8). Alternatively, a slot may be included within the grid-mounted thin section specimen 46, the slot 47 being proximate to and generally parallel to a side edge 49 of the grid-mounted thin section specimen 46 (FIG. 7). As such, a pointed instrument 100 may be inserted into the top-most open end of the slot 47 to become frictionally attached thereto, such that when the pointed instrument 100 is lifted away from the specimen receiving means 40 the grid-mounted specimen 46 comes with it. Further, to keep the grid-mounted specimen 46 retained with the receiving means 40, a small clip 110 is included proximate to the top surface 15 of the base 10 at each of said specimen receiving means 40 adapted for receiving the grid-mounted thin section specimen 46 (FIG. 12). The clip 110 is removably attached to the base 15 manually, whereby any grid-mounted specimen 46 retained by the specimen receiving means 40 is retained by the specimen receiving means 40 until the clip 110 is removed from the base 10. The base 10 may include means for retaining the clip 110, such as grooves 120 formed into the side of the specimen receiving means 40 for receiving the ends of the clip 110. The clip 110 may be made from a flexible sheet or other plastic or elastic material, so that the clip 110 will only fit into the grooves 120 or become dislodged from the grooves 120 when slightly bent manually.

A cover 38 may be included to slidably engage and capture a corresponding tray 30 (FIGS. 4 and 5), whereby specimens held within the tray 30 are prevented from falling out of the tray 30 if the tray 30 is inverted or jarred. The cover 38 is preferably made from a transparent or translucent plastic material so that the contents of the tray 30 may be observed even with the cover 38 over the tray 30. The cover 38 preferably is retained on the tray 30 by a friction fit.

The base 10 preferably further includes a card storage means 60 formed partially within the base 30, such as an elongated slot 65 on the top surface 15 of the base 10 proximate to and generally parallel with a top rear edge of the base 10 (FIG. 2). As such, a data card 70 with information corresponding to the specimens retained within the present invention may be included therewith. Preferably each storage tray 30 is of a sufficient length so that, when each tray 30 is fully engaged with the base 10 in a stored position, each tray 30 fully covers the elongated slot 65, preventing the data card 70 from falling out of the card storage means 60 (FIG. 5). Optionally, the storage means 60 may further include a plurality of generally parallel dividers (not shown) so that one data card 70 may be included with and be located generally proximate to a corresponding tray 30. Such data card 70 having information and data corresponding to the specimens only on the tray 30 located proximate thereto. Each tray 30 may further be marked with a numerical or other type of indicia (not shown), corresponding to its data card 70, to more closely associate it thereto and allow the tray 30 and its associated data card 70 to be removed from the tray 30 without necessitating the removal or partial removal of the other trays 30 from the base 15.

Alternatively, the trays 30 may be made short enough so that when fully engaged with the tray 10 they do not cover the extended slot 65, thereby allowing the data card 70 to be removed or inserted into the card retaining means 60 without necessitating the removal or partial removal of the trays 30 from the base 15 (FIG. 1).

FIG. 13 shows an improved retaining means having a clip groove 120 for the clip 110. The groove allows clip rotation from a first locked position 110 to a second unlocked position 111. The first position covers the opening as shown in FIG. 13, and the second position is a storage position for the clip 110. The opening is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The holder 48 thus has a removable safety device. The second position and first position both snugly receive the clip 110 so that it does not dislodge without intentional interaction by a forecep. The holder opening 48 being spade shaped can be formed in a channel 250 so that the clip groove 120 can be placed within the channel 250.

FIG. 13 shows 3 different drawings of the clip retainer groove system. The middle drawing shows the changing of the clip from the first position to the second position with the groove. The right drawing shows the holder and changing of the clip, but does not show one of the clip grooves. The left drawing shows the structure without the clip. While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the configuration of the specimen receiving means 40 may take a variety of configurations as needed. The material used for the base and trays may be altered, as well, from a plastic material to any number of other materials without changing the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims. 

1. A specimen storage apparatus, comprising: a generally cuboidal base, the base including a plurality of slidable attachment tongues on a top surface thereof, and a plurality of generally cuboidal storage trays, each tray including a slidable attachment groove on a bottom surface thereof, each slidable attachment groove adapted for slidably engaging and capturing one of the plurality of slidable attachment tongues of the base, each tray further including a plurality of specimen receiving means. whereby a plurality of specimens may be retained by the specimen receiving means on one of the storage trays, wherein at least a portion of the specimen receiving means of each of the plurality of storage trays is adapted for receiving a block specimen of tissue embedded in a resin block, wherein at least a portion of the specimen receiving means of each of the plurality of storage trays is adapted for receiving a semi-thin section specimen of tissue mounted to a glass slide, wherein at least a portion of the specimen receiving means of each of the plurality of storage trays is adapted for receiving a grid-mounted thin section specimen of tissue.
 2. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base further includes a card storage means formed partially within the base, whereby a paper card with data regarding the specimens may be retained within the card storage means concurrently with the specimens.
 3. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 2 wherein the card storage means is an elongated slot on the top surface of the base proximate to and generally parallel with a top rear edge of the base, the slot extending partially through the base.
 4. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 3 wherein each storage tray is of a size such that, when fully engaged with the base in a stored position, each tray fully covers the elongated slot, whereby a card stored within the card storage means is prevented from falling out of the card storage means.
 5. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portion of the specimen receiving means of the plurality of storage trays adapted for receiving a grid-mounted thin section specimen of tissue further includes, an elongated slot hole through proximate to one corner of said cube, said slot hole being generally orthogonal to a top surface thereof, facilitating removal of said grid-mounted specimen from the tray.
 6. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein the specimen receiving means of each of the plurality of storage trays is adapted for receiving multiple block specimens, multiple semi-thin section specimens, and multiple grid-mounted thin section specimens arranged in an array.
 7. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein each tray further includes a cover adapted to slidably engage and capture the tray to prevent specimens from falling out of the specimen receiving means thereof.
 8. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein the each of the slidable attachment tongues and each of the slidable attachment grooves are shaped as elongated trapezoids.
 9. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portion of the specimen receiving means of the plurality of storage trays adapted for receiving a grid-mounted thin section specimen of tissue further includes, a clip proximate to the top surface of the tray at each of said specimen receiving means adapted for receiving the grid-mounted thin section specimen, the clip removably attached to the tray manually, whereby the grid-mounted thin section specimen retained by the specimen receiving means cannot become dislodged from the specimen receiving means until the clip is manually removed from the base.
 10. The specimen storage apparatus of claim 9, wherein the specimen receiving means adapted for receiving the grid-mounted thin section specimen is formed as a grid holding depression and the clip is a small flexible plastic rod that fits into a pair of clip depressions on either side of the grid holding depression.
 11. A specimen storage tray, comprising: a base, and a tray mountable on the base having a block depression for receiving a block, a grid depression for receiving a grid and a slot formed in the block depression, the slot for receiving a semi thin section, wherein the block depression is shaped to receive both a block or a semi thin section.
 12. The specimen storage tray, of claim 11 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a locking clip manually removable and attached to the grid depression opening that holds a grid-mounted thin section specimen inside the grid depression until the locking clip is manually removed.
 13. The specimen storage tray, of claim 11 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a locking clip manually removable and attached to the grid depression opening that holds a grid-mounted thin section specimen inside the grid depression until the locking clip is manually removed, wherein the clip is a small flexible rod that fits into a pair of clip depressions on either side of the grid depression.
 14. The specimen storage tray, of claim 11 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a forcep hole along the side of the grid depression opening and the grid depression, wherein the forcep hole allows an inserted forcep to grab only the edge of the grid, but not touch the middle of the grid where a specimen is usually mounted.
 15. A specimen storage tray, comprising: a base, and a tray mountable on the base having a block depression for receiving a block, and a grid depression for receiving a grid.
 16. The specimen storage tray, of claim 15 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a locking clip manually removable and attached to the grid depression opening that holds a grid-mounted thin section specimen inside the grid depression until the locking clip is manually removed.
 17. The specimen storage tray, of claim 15 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a locking clip manually removable and attached to the grid depression opening that holds a grid-mounted thin section specimen inside the grid depression until the locking clip is manually removed, wherein the clip is a small flexible rod that fits into a pair of clip depressions on either side of the grid depression.
 18. The specimen storage tray, of claim 15 wherein the grid depression forms a grid depression opening and further includes a forcep hole along the side of the grid depression opening and the grid depression, wherein the forcep hole allows an inserted forcep to grab only the edge of the grid, but not touch the middle of the grid where a specimen is usually mounted.
 19. The specimen storage tray, of claim 15 wherein the grid depressions are formed in a channel having a clip groove retaining clips between channel walls, wherein clip grooves allow clip rotation from a first locked position to a second unlocked position. The first position covers the opening as shown in FIG. 13, and the second position. 